The effects of treatment on nutrition in children with cancer

Authors : Müberra TANRIVERDİ, Melikenur VURAL, Fatma ÇAKIR

Pages : 61-65

View : 39 | Download : 15

Publication Date : 2020-04-30

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Chemotherapy affects the diet and feeding habits of children with cancer. They experience side effects such as vomiting, diarrhea and constipation. Feeding disorders occur during treatment period of chronic illnesses such as during the chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The purpose of this study was to determine their feeding habits of the children with cancer. We applied a questionnaire concerning the feeding habits of 21 patients with cancer who received chemotherapy. The questionnaire included where, how, how often and how much children were fed. Nine insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(42.9%); female patients and 12 insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(57.1%); male patients participated in the survey. Six insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(28.6%); lymphomas, 5 insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(23.8%); sarcomas, 3 insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(14.3%); kidney tumors, 3 insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(14.3%); neuroblastomas, 2 insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(9.5%); brain tumors, 1 insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(4.8%); acute leukemia and 1 insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(4.8%); bone tumor were diagnosed. There was a positive statistically significant relationship between regular vegetable consumption and the measurement of body mass indexes insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(r=-0.601; p<0.05);. Fast food consumption at least once a week was inversely correlated with the measurements of weight and height of the patients insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(r=0.683; p<0.05);. Body mass index was found to decrease during the acute gastroenteritis periods insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(r=-0.470; p<0.05);. There was a positive statistically significant relationship between constipation periods and the skinfold thickness measurements insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(r=0.714; p<0.05);. Healthy feeding is especially important for every child in this patient group. Fast food consumption is one of the factors that negatively affects the health, which adversely affects the patients in the treatment process even more adversely. In the literature, there is no protocol established for the feeding of children with cancer and no guideline has been developed as a result of these studies. Our study is planned to determine this need and it might shed light on the literature with the results.
Keywords : antropometric, body mass index, cancer, chemotherapy, children, nutrition

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